Back in September I noted an article suggesting that Web ad blocking may not be legal. One legal theory is that the recipient of a Web page doesn't have the right to create a derivative work by deleting one or more banner ads.
I noted then that Symantec's Norton Internet Security 2006 has a very effective ad blocking feature. Now, it seems, that Symantec has removed this feature from the 2006 and subsequent versions. One can only wonder why. Legal advise? Pressure from advertisers or advertising providers such as Google? Don't know.
Here's what I do know. Because the software update feature was failing, I elected to use their removal tool and reinstall the software from the version I had downloaded in 2006. Following installation, the LiveUpdate feature downloads and installs the current files, including software and virus definition updates.
At the completion of this process the privacy feature which blocks banner ads and popup advertising had disappeared, both as user accessible options and in the Symantec supplied Help files.
However, using the Internet Archive's WaybackMachine, the product feature page for Norton Internet Security 2006 from January 1, 2006 has as the last entry in a list of features: Blocks banner ads and popup windows.
For the moment, at least, the story ends OK. I was able to restore the previous version with ad and popup blocking from my backup file (love Acronis' backup software!).
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